Lexus ES Chief Engineer Says, "One-Pedal Driving? We Do Not Adopt It as a Principle"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Kohhei Chiashi, Senior Engineer at Lexus International, stated at the Lexus ES test drive event held on the 16th that "we take it as a principle to exclude one-pedal driving functionally."

One-pedal driving is a driving method unique to electric vehicles where both acceleration and deceleration (regenerative braking) are controlled with a single accelerator pedal, allowing for driving and stopping without almost touching the brake pedal. Many electric vehicle manufacturers recommend using one-pedal driving (or high regenerative braking levels) in city driving to reduce fatigue, while setting lower regenerative braking levels or prioritizing coasting on highways or slippery road surfaces to adapt to driving conditions. However, the statement by Kohhei Chiashi, Senior Engineer at Lexus International, is entirely different from this trend.

Out of some surprise, I asked again for confirmation, "Completely? At all?" Kohhei Chiashi, Senior Engineer at Lexus International, emphasized, "It is a principle. Internally, we take it as a principle to exclude one-pedal driving." He immediately explained the reason for excluding one-pedal driving. "For a Lexus vehicle, it is our principle that stopping is properly the domain of the 'brake pedal,' and the accelerator pedal should focus on smoothly maintaining the continuity of driving," he said.

Kohhei Chiashi, Senior Engineer at Lexus International, added, "When developing new vehicles, we must clearly distinguish between 'things that must absolutely not be changed' and 'things that must be boldly changed.' The most critical absolute standard is 'safety,' and the exclusion of one-pedal driving is precisely due to this safety."

The All New Lexus ES, reborn in its 8th generation, features a four-level regenerative braking adjustment function. However, even with the strongest regenerative braking engaged, it was only possible to ultimately bring the car to a complete stop by pressing the brake pedal. This revealed the reason for not applying one-pedal driving as a principle.

Kohhei Chiashi, Senior Engineer at Lexus International, joined Toyota in 2000 and began his career as a pickup truck body engineer. He later moved to the Lexus brand, where he was involved in the body engineering of Lexus flagship and major luxury sedans such as the LS and GS. At the Lexus ES launch event, he demonstrated a strong philosophy of "not giving up on our affection for and value in sedans," even amid the global trend of shrinking sedan markets.

Meanwhile, the All New Lexus ES was officially launched in Korea on October 13. The ES is a model that debuted alongside the Lexus brand in 1989, and first appeared in Korea with the 4th generation model when the Lexus brand entered the market in 2001.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original